Hold You Tight, Never Let You Go
by snapple79
Summary: This is set at the start of S5 as Sam is waking up for the first time in the hospital.


Here's a quick one-shot that didn't fit with the multi-chapter fic I'm working on, so I thought I'd make it its own little story. It's set at the beginning of S5. And I promise to have my next multi-chapter out soon! And probably a few more one shots as we get info from filming. Please let me know what you think with a review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

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**Hold You Tight, Never Let You Go**

_Andy was in another fit of laughter as Sam continued to tease her. Sitting in bed, she was bent over with her arms crossing her stomach because she was laughing so hard it hurt. "Sam!" she squealed._

"_I'm just saying," he said, giving her a playful smirk. He loved teasing her and this time was no exception._

_She laid down on her back next to him, her laughter finally dying down. _

"_Feeling better?" he asked._

_She rolled over, resting her head on Sam's chest and laying an arm across his body as his arms wrapped around her. "You always know what I need," she said softly._

_He threaded his fingers through her hair soothingly. "Just sleep. Tomorrow will be better." He stayed awake thinking about the day and the horrible scene she'd witnessed. From the moment she'd filed her report, he'd whisked her away from the station and tried to get her mind off of it._

_When he was sure she was in a deep sleep, he let himself drift off._

_It was hours later when Sam was startled by Andy's crying. He was still in a haze of sleep, but reached his arm out to find her on her side facing away from him. At some point she'd rolled off of him and onto her side of the bed. He didn't even open his eyes as he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him._

_She was whimpering and shaking, and he just held onto her tighter. "I'm right here and I'm going to hold onto you and never let you go," he whispered. Not even fully conscious, his instincts were to comfort, soothe and protect the love of his life._

_He never saw Andy's eyes fly open as she made her way out of the nightmare. He never saw the tears that started because of the nightmare get replaced by tears of happiness because she'd never felt more loved or more known than she did with him. She took a few deep breaths to try and slow her breathing and pounding heart caused by the nightmare. She held onto the arms that circled her and let herself fall back into a calm sleep._

_Suddenly Sam was woken up by his alarm. Opening his eyes, he saw Andy still wrapped up in his arms and wanted to silence his alarm before it woke her. He swung an arm out waiting for his hand to hit the alarm clock, but it never did. _

_He swung out again and again, not understanding how he could miss it so many times. And he couldn't figure out why Andy wasn't being woken up by it._

It was then that the beeps of the alarm became shorter, more succinct, and Sam didn't recognize it as his alarm anymore. He kept trying to hit the off button, but kept missing it as the beeps got softer. He couldn't understand what was going on. And that's when he felt something squeeze his hand.

And he heard her voice, like an angel in his ear. "Sam...Sam...Wake up. I'm right here, Sam."

It felt like something was weighing down his eyelids and while he fought to open them, he wrapped his hand around her slender fingers. It was when he felt her other fingers sliding through his hair, he finally won the battle to open his eyes.

He opened his mouth, but it felt like a desert and no sound came out.

"Sam," she breathed out. "You're awake. I should get the doctor."

He tightened his hand around hers and she stopped the move she'd made to back up. He licked his lips and swallowed, and she used her free hand to pour water in a cup next to his bed. He loosened the grip on her hand, so she could get the straw of the cup up to his mouth.

After taking a long sip, he took a couple of labored breaths as she placed the cup back on the table. "Andy…" he managed to get out.

Her name had never sounded better coming from his lips right now. "I'm here, Sam," she said, taking his hand in hers again. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good plan," his said, his voice coming out rough and ragged. His eyes looked her over. She'd changed out of her uniform, but it looked like she'd been here long enough to sleep in her clothes. Her eyes gave away how tired she was, and that she'd been crying, even if he hadn't noticed her tear-stained cheeks. The relief on her face told him how much she'd been worrying.

His lips were raw and he felt sleep trying to take over again, but he fought it. "How long...have I been here?"

Andy rubbed the back of her free hand against her cheeks - not sure if she was wiping away old tears or suppressing new ones - before looking at her watch. She'd lost all track of time, first spending hours in the waiting room while he was in surgery and then sitting in this room in the ICU with the curtains drawn tight. She hadn't left his side to do more than use the bathroom; her friends continued to bring her food that she'd only pick at. "Uh, 30, no 48 hours, I think," she said. "Do you...do you remember what happened?"

"I was shot. And you...you were there." He used any strength he had to curve his lips into a small smile. Even though he'd been unconscious for most of the last two days, somehow he knew she hadn't left his side from the moment she came running to him while he was lying on the floor.

Andy let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and she held his hand even tighter, never wanting to let go.

"You're my story too, Andy," Sam said. "And it's a damn good story."

She couldn't stop the tear that slid slowly down her cheek as she smiled at his words. It meant everything to her to know he'd heard what she said in the ambulance. Her other hand closed over their linked fingers and lifted them until her lips rested on his knuckles.

"Do you need anything? Can I get you anything? Are you in pain?" she asked rapidly, not wanting to leave his side, but willing to do anything to help him.

He slid his hand from hers and wrapped it around the back of her head. His energy was disappearing quickly and knew sleep would take over again soon. He gently tugged her until she rested her head on the space next to him on the bed. "Sleep. Get some sleep. I'm okay," he told her.

She let him guide her down and placed her palm over his chest, so she could feel the beat of it along with the beeps of the monitor. He left his hand buried in her hair and heard her whisper "I love you" before he succumbed to sleep.

And for the first time in more than two days, Andy felt herself falling into a restful sleep. The only man she truly loved, the man who held half of her heart, the man she couldn't live without was going to be okay. They were going to get their second chance.

They were going to hold each other tight and never let go ever again.

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The End.


End file.
